M5 motorway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids M5 motorway
	Looking south towards junction 20
Route information
	Maintained by Highways England
Length	162.9 mi (262.2 km)
Existed	1962–present
History	Opened: 1962; Completed: 1977
Major junctions
Northeast end	West Bromwich
	; M6 motorway; ; J4a → M42 motorway; ; J8 → M50 motorway; ; J15 → M4 motorway; ; J18a → M49 motorway
Southwest end	Exminster
Location
Counties:	West Midlands, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Bristol, Somerset, Devon
Primary; destinations:	West Bromwich; Birmingham; Bromsgrove; Worcester; Cheltenham; Gloucester; Bristol; Weston-super-Mare; Bridgwater; Taunton; Exeter
Road network

The M5 is a motorway in England. It links the Midlands and the South West.

It runs from Junction 8 of the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. It is the main gateway to South West England. Congestion is common during the summer holidays, on Friday afternoons, and school and bank holidays on the section south of the M4.

Junctions

mile	km	North-east bound exits (B carriageway)	Junction	South-west bound exits (A carriageway)	Coordinates
M5 motorway junctions
0.0	0.0	London (M1, M40), Birmingham (N&E), The NORTH WEST, Walsall, Wolverhampton M6	M6 J8	Start of motorway	52°32′10″N 1°58′12″W / 52.5360°N 1.9699°W / 52.5360; -1.9699 (M6, Junction 8)
2.7 3.3	4.3 5.3	West Bromwich, Birmingham (NW) A41	J1	West Bromwich, Sandwell, Birmingham (NW) A41	52°30′43″N 1°58′31″W / 52.5119°N 1.9754°W / 52.5119; -1.9754 (M5, Junction 1)
5.2 5.8	8.4 9.3	Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sandwell A4123	J2	Birmingham (W), Dudley A4123	52°29′34″N 2°01′08″W / 52.4927°N 2.0188°W / 52.4927; -2.0188 (M5, Junction 2)
8.6 9.0	13.8 14.5	Birmingham (W&C) A456	J3	Kidderminster A456	52°26′57″N 2°00′55″W / 52.4491°N 2.0152°W / 52.4491; -2.0152 (M5, Junction 3)
		Entering West Midlands		Entering Worcestershire	52°25′59″N 2°01′03″W / 52.43292°N 2.01751°W / 52.43292; -2.01751
		Frankley services	Services	Frankley services	52°25′45″N 2°01′04″W / 52.4292°N 2.0179°W / 52.4292; -2.0179 (M5, Frankley services)
14.0 14.4	22.5 23.2	Birmingham (SW) A38, Stourbridge A491	J4	Birmingham (SW), Bromsgrove A38	52°22′43″N 2°02′47″W / 52.3786°N 2.0465°W / 52.3786; -2.0465 (M5, Junction 4)
16.1	25.9	End of variable speed limit	J4A	London (M40), N.E.C., Birmingham M42	52°21′15″N 2°04′16″W / 52.3543°N 2.0711°W / 52.3543; -2.0711 (M5, Junction 4A)
16.6	26.7	The NORTH EAST, N.E.C., Birmingham M42	J4A	Start of variable speed limit
21.4 21.7	34.5 35.0	Bromsgrove, Droitwich A38	J5	Droitwich A38	52°17′15″N 2°07′13″W / 52.2876°N 2.1202°W / 52.2876; -2.1202 (M5, Junction 5)
27.0 27.5	43.5 44.2	Worcester (N), Kidderminster A449	J6	Worcester (N) A449, Evesham A4538	52°12′46″N 2°09′28″W / 52.2128°N 2.1579°W / 52.2128; -2.1579 (M5, Junction 6)
		Start of variable speed limit	J6	End of variable speed limit
30.2 30.7	48.6 49.4	Worcester (S), Evesham A44	J7	Worcester (S) A44	52°10′07″N 2°10′49″W / 52.1687°N 2.1803°W / 52.1687; -2.1803 (M5, Junction 7)
		Strensham services (northbound)	Services	No access	52°03′55″N 2°09′28″W / 52.0652°N 2.1577°W / 52.0652; -2.1577
		No access	Services	Strensham services (southbound)	52°03′27″N 2°08′33″W / 52.0574°N 2.1426°W / 52.0574; -2.1426
39.7	63.9	Entering Worcestershire	J8	SOUTH WALES, Ross M50	52°02′52″N 2°08′08″W / 52.0478°N 2.1356°W / 52.0478; -2.1356 (M5, Junction 8)
40.0	64.4	SOUTH WALES, Ross M50	J8	Entering Gloucestershire
		Entering Gloucestershire		River Avon	52°01′51″N 2°07′32″W / 52.03071°N 2.12548°W / 52.03071; -2.12548 (M5, River Avon)
		River Avon		Entering Worcestershire
		Entering Worcestershire		Entering Gloucestershire	52°00′41″N 2°07′16″W / 52.01131°N 2.12113°W / 52.01131; -2.12113
43.4 43.9	69.8 70.6	Tewkesbury A438, Evesham A46	J9	Evesham A46, Tewkesbury A438	51°59′47″N 2°07′25″W / 51.9965°N 2.1237°W / 51.9965; -2.1237 (M5, Junction 8)
48.3 48.5	77.7 78.0	No access (on-slip only)	J10	Cheltenham A4019	51°55′44″N 2°08′24″W / 51.9290°N 2.1400°W / 51.9290; -2.1400 (M5, Junction 10)
51.0 51.4	82.1 82.8	Gloucester, Cheltenham A40	J11	Cheltenham, Gloucester, Staverton A40	51°53′23″N 2°09′05″W / 51.8897°N 2.1514°W / 51.8897; -2.1514 (M5, Junction 11)
53.4 54.0	85.9 86.9	Gloucester, Cirencester A417	J11A	London, Cirencester A417	51°51′28″N 2°10′25″W / 51.8578°N 2.1735°W / 51.8578; -2.1735 (M5, Junction 11A)
		Gloucester services	Services	Gloucester services	51°51′44″N 2°10′00″W / 51.8621°N 2.1667°W / 51.8621; -2.1667 (Gloucestershire gateway services)
60.2 60.5	96.9 97.4	Gloucester (A38)	J12	Gloucester (A38)	51°47′54″N 2°17′20″W / 51.7982°N 2.2889°W / 51.7982; -2.2889 (M5, Junction 12)
63.3 63.7	101.8 102.5	Stroud A419	J13	Stroud, Dursley A419	51°45′35″N 2°19′22″W / 51.7598°N 2.3227°W / 51.7598; -2.3227 (M5, Junction 13)
71.9	115.7	Michaelwood services	Services	Michaelwood services	51°39′24″N 2°25′45″W / 51.6567°N 2.4292°W / 51.6567; -2.4292 (M5, Michaelwood services)
73.6 73.9	118.4 119.0	Dursley B4509	J14	Thornbury B4509	51°38′12″N 2°27′08″W / 51.6368°N 2.4521°W / 51.6368; -2.4521 (M5, Junction 14)
		End of variable speed limit	J15	Start of variable speed limit	51°33′05″N 2°33′09″W / 51.5514°N 2.5524°W / 51.5514; -2.5524 (M5, Junction 15)</sma
81.1 81.7	130.5 131.5	SOUTH WALES, Chepstow (M48) M4(W) London M4(E)	J15	London, Bristol (C) (M32) M4(E) SOUTH WALES, Chepstow (M48) M4(W)
82.0 82.3	132.0 132.5	Thornbury, Filton A38	J16	Thornbury, Filton A38	51°32′50″N 2°34′06″W / 51.5472°N 2.5684°W / 51.5472; -2.5684 (M5, Junction 16)
84.2 84.6	135.5 136.2	Bristol (W), Cribbs Causeway A4018	J17	Bristol (W), Cribbs Causeway A4018	51°31′43″N 2°36′37″W / 51.5286°N 2.6102°W / 51.5286; -2.6102 (M5, Junction 17)
		Start of variable speed limit	J17	End of variable speed limit
		Entering Gloucestershire		Entering Bristol	51°30′47″N 2°39′07″W / 51.51304°N 2.65208°W / 51.51304; -2.65208
87.4 87.7	140.6 141.2	SOUTH WALES, Cardiff, Newport M49 (M4(W))	J18A	No access (on-slip only)	51°30′08″N 2°40′26″W / 51.5021°N 2.6740°W / 51.5021; -2.6740 (M5, Junction 18A)
88.0 88.2	141.6 142.0	Bristol, Bristol , Shirehampton, Avonmouth, Docks A4, Aust (A403)	J18	Avonmouth, Bristol (West), Bristol A4	51°30′09″N 2°40′22″W / 51.5026°N 2.6728°W / 51.5026; -2.6728 (M5, Junction 18)
		Avonmouth Bridge	Bridge	Avonmouth Bridge	51°29′20″N 2°41′34″W / 51.4890°N 2.6928°W / 51.4890; -2.6928 (M5, Avonmouth Bridge)
90.1	145.0	Portishead, Royal Portbury Dock, Clifton (Toll) A369 Gordano services	J19 Services	Portishead, Royal Portbury Dock A369 Gordano services	51°28′39″N 2°42′42″W / 51.4774°N 2.7117°W / 51.4774; -2.7117 (M5, Junction 19)
96.7	155.6	Nailsea, Clevedon B3133	J20	Clevedon, Nailsea B3133	51°25′56″N 2°50′19″W / 51.4322°N 2.8387°W / 51.4322; -2.8387 (M5, Junction 20)
102.3	164.6	Weston-super-Mare, Bristol (S) A370	J21	Weston-super-Mare A370	51°21′32″N 2°53′37″W / 51.3589°N 2.8936°W / 51.3589; -2.8936 (M5, Junction 21)
109.1	175.6	Sedgemoor services	Services	Sedgemoor services	51°16′08″N 2°55′17″W / 51.2689°N 2.9214°W / 51.2689; -2.9214 (M5, Sedgemoor services)
111.7	179.8	Burnham-on-Sea B3140 Bristol (S) & Airport A38 Weston-super-Mare (A370)	J22	Highbridge A38 Burnham-on-Sea B3140	51°14′10″N 2°56′48″W / 51.2360°N 2.9467°W / 51.2360; -2.9467 (M5, Junction 22)
116.9	188.1	Highbridge A38 Glastonbury, Wells A39	J23	Bridgwater A38 Minehead, Glastonbury, Wells A39	51°10′01″N 2°58′51″W / 51.1670°N 2.9809°W / 51.1670; -2.9809 (M5, Junction 23)
121.8 122.0	196.0 196.3	Bridgwater, Minehead A38 Bridgwater services	J24 Services	Minehead A38 (A39) Bridgwater services	51°06′07″N 2°59′38″W / 51.1019°N 2.9940°W / 51.1019; -2.9940 (M5, Junction 24)
128.4 128.6	206.7 206.9	Taunton, Yeovil A358	J25	Taunton, Honiton, Yeovil, Weymouth A358	51°01′04″N 3°03′49″W / 51.0178°N 3.0636°W / 51.0178; -3.0636 (M5, Junction 25)
133.3	214.5	Taunton Deane services	Services	Taunton Deane services	50°58′37″N 3°08′48″W / 50.9769°N 3.1468°W / 50.9769; -3.1468 (M5, Taunton Deane services)
135.3 135.5	217.8 218.0	Wellington, Taunton A38	J26	Wellington A38	50°58′23″N 3°11′29″W / 50.9730°N 3.1914°W / 50.9730; -3.1914 (M5, Junction 26)
		Entering Somerset		Entering Devon	50°56′58″N 3°16′25″W / 50.94953°N 3.27365°W / 50.94953; -3.27365
143.4 143.7	230.7 231.3	Barnstaple, Tiverton A361, Wellington A38	J27	Tiverton, Barnstaple A361 Willand (B3181)	50°55′04″N 3°21′24″W / 50.9177°N 3.3566°W / 50.9177; -3.3566 (M5, Junction 27)
147.6 147.9	237.5 238.0	Cullompton B3181 Cullompton services	J28 Services	Honiton A373 Cullompton B3181	50°51′39″N 3°23′02″W / 50.8609°N 3.3838°W / 50.8609; -3.3838 (M5, Junction 28)
157.7 158.1	253.8 254.4	Honiton A30 Exeter	J29	Honiton A30 East Exeter	50°43′44″N 3°27′45″W / 50.72880°N 3.4624°W / 50.72880; -3.4624 (M5, Junction 29)
158.9 159.3	255.7 256.3	Exeter A379, Exmouth A376 Sidmouth (A3052) Exeter services	J30 Services	Exeter, Dawlish A379 Exmouth A376 Sidmouth (A3052) Exeter services	50°42′45″N 3°27′50″W / 50.7124°N 3.4638°W / 50.7124; -3.4638 (M5, Junction 30)
162.4 162.6	261.4 261.7	Start of motorway	J31	Bodmin, Okehampton A30	50°40′48″N 3°31′00″W / 50.6801°N 3.5166°W / 50.6801; -3.5166 (M5, Junction 31)
162.7	261.8	Okehampton A30 West Exeter (A377) Non-motorway traffic	J31	Road continues as A38 Plymouth A38 Torquay (A380)	50°40′41″N 3°31′22″W / 50.6780°N 3.5228°W / 50.6780; -3.5228 (M5 transition to A380)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Junction information taken from Advanced Direction Signs March to June 2011 (J4A – J31). Coordinates from Google Maps, taken at the centre of the junction

Images for kids

M5 near junction 28, Devon
The Avonmouth Bridge, Bristol

M5 motorway south of the Avonmouth Bridge

M5 entrance sign at Exeter